Sorting arrangement

ABSTRACT

At a sorting arrangement according to the invention is provided an underlying drop shaft adapted to receive wood sections of a first dimension dropped down centrally. The shaft is defined on two opposed sides by pivotal guide means located with their horizontal bearing axle below the upper level of the shaft. Each of the guide means has such an extension in the direction perpendicular to the axle that by inclination it can be caused to project into the central area of the drop shaft to deflect centrally dropped objects of a second and, respectively, third dimension to a collecting place on one and, respectively, the other side of the shaft.

United States Patent [191 Lindblom 51arch 2d, 1973 [54] SORTINGARRANGEMENT [75] Inventor: Karl Thore Lindblom, Alfta,

I Sweden [73] Assignee: Ostbergs Fabrik AB, Alfta, Sweden [22] Filed:May 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 148,076

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 1, 1970 Sweden ..7526/70[52] US. Cl. ..209/74 IR [51] Int. Cl. ..B07c [58] Field of Search..209/72, 73, 74 R; 214/6 D, 214/] P, l PB [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,458,055 7/l969 Council ..214/1 P 9/1971 Jeddeloh..209/74 4/1964 Rossi ..2l4/1PB [5 7 ABSTRACT At a sorting arrangementaccording to the invention is provided an underlying drop shaft adaptedto receive wood sections of a first dimension dropped down centrally.The shaft is defined on two opposed sides by pivotal guide means locatedwith their horizontal bearing axle below the upper level of the shaft.Each of the guide means has such an extension in the directionperpendicular to the axle that by inclination it can be caused toproject into the central area of the drop shaft to deflect centrallydropped objects of a second and, respectively, third dimension to acollecting place on one and, respectively, the other side of the shaft.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZOISB 721' ,34 1

SHEET 10F 4 FIG.1

PATENTEUHARZOISYS 3 1 SHEET 30F 4 C) c; w N U.

SORTING ARRANGEMENT This invention relates to a sorting arrangement forcross cut wood and similar longitudinal objects.

Cross cut wood, such as delimbed stern sections, heretofore have beensorted into different assortments (for example, broad-leaf trees,coniferous trees, etc.) in such a way that the crane boom carrying thegrapple was swung into a position such that the grapple was placed abovethe desired wood pocket for dumping the wood thereinto. This permanentshifting between different pockets apparently is tedious and requireshigh attentiveness of the crane operator. The sorting is still morecomplicated when the cross cut wood is delivered as a final productdirectly in a mobile processor where the feeding means for the felledtree together with delimbing and cross-cutting members forms a coherent,relatively rigid unit. In that case, either the entire unit must be madepivotal or the vehicle carrying the unit must be operated between theseparate pockets.

The aforesaid disadvantages are eliminated by the sorting arrangementaccording to the invention, which is characterized in that thearrangement comprises a drop shaft for centrally receiving droppedobjects, which shaft on two opposed sides is defined by pivotal guidemeans located with their bearing axles below the upper level of theshaft and having such an extension in the direction perpendicular to theaxle that each guide means by inclination can be caused to project intothe central area of the drop shaft so as to catch and deflect theobjects dropped centrally to a collecting place on one and,respectively, the other side of the shaft and thereby to divide theobjects into three assortments.

One embodiment of the invention applied to a mobile processor isdescribed below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFIG. 1 shows a side view of the sorting arrangement connected to theoutlet end of a processor mounted on a vehicle,

FIG. 2 shows a plane view, and

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the sorting arrangement, and

FIG. 4 on a smaller scale shows a schematic view of different operationswith the sorting arrangement.

By means of the grapple mounted on the vehicle, which in FIGS. 1 and 3generally is designated by I, felled trees are fed to the processor, theoutlet end of which is indicated at 2 in FIG. I, and which by ahydraulic means 3 can be lifted and lowered about a bearing axle on thevehicle. In the front view according to FIG. 3 is shown how a felledtree 4 is slipped down from a buffer supply (not shown) on an inclinedguideway 5 and lands between the log feed rolls 6 of the unit. Whilstbeing advanced by said rolls the tree is delimbed by the indicatedshearing members 7 and thereafter cross cut by the folding cross cuttingmember 8 (see also FIGS. 1 and 2). I

Below the slide 9 (FIG. 3) for the tree 4, at the outlet end 2 of theunit a forward and a rearward plate 10 and, respectively, 11 (FIGS. 1and 2) are mounted which I serve as carrying mountings for one endrespectively of four parallel axles located substantially on the samelevel (FIG. 2), of which axles the two central ones are designated by 12and, respectively, 13, and the two outer ones by 14 and, respectively,15. As appears from FIGS. 2 and 3, the axles are placed symmetrically inrelation to the tree path 9, i.e. the outwardly projecting stem 4 beinglocated directly above the gap between the two central axles 12 and 13,so that a cross cut stern section falls down into this gap.

Each of the central axles l2 and 13 pivoted with one end in the plates10 and 11 carries a forward and a rearward guide means 16 and,respectively, 17 (applies to the axle 1112) in the form of a two-armedlever, which by a hydraulic means 20 applyingbetween a lever 18 on theend of the axle l2 and a stationary (during the sorting operation) pin19 can be turned between a standing and a lying position.

Each of the outer axles 14 and 15 is fastened with one end in the plates10, 1 l and carries a forward and a rearward vertical support 21 and,respectively, 22 (applies to the axle 14). Between said supports ismounted on the axle a tube 23, which at both ends carries an arm 24 and,respectively 25. A hydraulic means 28 acts between a lever 26 (FIG. 3)on the tube 23 and a pin 27 (FIG. 1) at the upper portion of therearward support 22, by which hydraulic means the tube can be turnedabout the axle l4 and thereby the arms 24, 25 be swung between thevertical position shown in FIG. 1 and the horizontal position in FIGS. 2and 3.

The aforedescribed arrangement, with respect to the axles l2 and 14 withthe levers, supports and arms carried thereon, applies also to the tworemaining axles l3 and 15 such that a mirror-symmetric system isobtained, as clearly appears from FIGS. 2 and 3. In the position shownin FIG. 3, the combination of the pivotal levers (represented by 16which for reason of simplicity in the following will be called pivotguide), the stationary vertical supports (represented by 21) and thepivotal arms (represented by 24 which in the following will be calledbottom flap) defines a central compartment or drop shaft or zone locatedbelow the tree path 9, and on both sides thereof pockets to be emptied.

The sorting is carried out as follows.

For stern sections of a greater length and diameter, which areclassified as timber, the position shown in FIG. 3 is utilized. Thecross cut sections fall down straightly through the central shaft to theground. This timber represents the first assortment.

The log having been advanced and cut off such a distance that theremaining dimension is too small to serve as timber or if for otherreasons this log section cannot be utilized as timber wood the pivotguide 16 is rocked by the hydraulic means 20 inwardly to the center ofthe drop shaft and catches the centrally dropped section 4 to deflect itto the pocket located to the left of the shaft, as shown in FIG. 4a.This timber constitutes the second assortment and is intended for use aspulp wood, for example of 3 m length.

When the pulp wood is desired to be differentiated additionally, forexample with reference to felled broad-leaved trees and conifers, pulpwood for sulfite pulp or sulfate pulp etc., the pivot guide shown to theright in FIGS. 3 and 4a is rocked accordingly inwardly to the center ofthe drop shaft to deflect the wood to the right-hand pocket. This woodconstitutes the third assortment.

The sorting operation, thus, is carried out comfortably and rapidly fromthe drivers seat of the vehicle by operating one or the other of thehydraulic means for adjusting the pivot guides to vertical or inwardlyinclined position. If only pulp wood is involved, with one typedominating, the driver can, for example, fold up the bottom flap 24 ofthe left-hand pocket by the hydraulic means 28 and adjust the pivotguide 16 to horizontal position. Hereby the volume of the left-handpocket is increased to include also the drop shaft. If the trees in thecutting area are such homogenous that it is possible to classify them asone type of pulp wood, the driver also lifts up the bottom flat of theright-hand pocket and adjusts the right-hand pivot guide to horizontalposition, so that a large volume for one assortment is obtained (FIG.4b).

For emptying the pockets, the driver first lowers the entire pocket unitto the ground by operating the hydraulic means 3 in FIG. 1, so that thetimber is discharged without appreciable drop height when the pocketsare opened by folding down their bottom flaps and possibly swinging backthe pivot guides, as shown in FIG. 4c. Hereby it is possible (whilstslowly lifting the unit) to obtain an orderly and well-collected staple,which directly and easily can be embraced by a grapple for loading andtransport. Heretofore the pocket units could not be raised and lowered,but the timber was dropped without control from a relatively greatheight, which resulted in an unhandy jam.

In the described method comprising three timber assortments located tothe side of each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle, thetransport to and from the clear-felled areas and, respectively, betweenthe same involves certain problems at a large capacity of the pockets,because according to the existing regulations the width of the vehiclemust not exceed about 2.5 m. At the eccentric arrangement of the pocketunit in relation to the vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 3, this problem has beensolved by providing possibilities for folding up the outer (left-hand)pocket. This transport position is schematically shown in FIG. 4d.

For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, the axle 14 of the left-handpocket is supported on a boom 29 projecting outwardly in the transversedirection of the vehicle. Said boom is mounted coaxially with the axle12 of the pivot guide 16 and includes an extension 30 projectingrearwardly from the point of mounting. The boom 29 is pivotal betweenhorizontal and vertical position and carries the aforementioned bearingpin 19 for the hydraulic means 20. In its horizontal position the boomis prevented from swinging downwardly by its extension 30 abutting anoverlying stationary stop member 31, which carries an eye with an axle32 about which is pivotally mounted at its central portion a hookgenerally designated by 33. With said hook in the position indicated byfully drawn lines, its inwardly curved lower end portion engages below astop member 34 mounted at the end of said extension 30 to preventunintentional upward swinging of the boom. The hook 33 at its upper endportion is provided with a downwardly facing recess 35 and with anupwardly facing recess 36. The boom also includes a stop member in theform ofa pin 37.

The relatively heavy pocket is folded up as follows. In the startingposition shown in FIG. 3 (fully drawn lines) the driver operates thehydraulic means so that it projects out its rod and turns the lever 18of the axle l2 (and thereby the pivot guide 16) substantially through tothe position indicated by dash-dotted lines. Hereafter the hook 33 isfolded down manually to its dash-dotted position whereby the lower endportion of the hook slides out of the locking engagement with the stopmember 34, and the recess 35 embraces a pin projecting from the end ofthe lever 18. Thereafter the driver again operates the hydraulic means20 so that its rod is retracted. Due to the fact that the end of thelever 18 now is fixed, the hydraulic means swings the boom with thepocket carried thereon upwardly through substantially 90. The hook isswung upwardly manually so that its recess 36 embraces the stop member37 of the boom to fix the pocket in its position folded up above thedrop shaft. By a third operation of the hydraulic means 20, finally, thepivot guide 16 is returned to vertical position. Hereby the transportposition indicated by fully drawn lines in FIG. 4d is obtained and thetotal width of the vehicle is maintained within the limits permitted.

Instead of the hook shown, of course, some other device for foldingupward the pocket may be used, and another power source than thehydraulic means 20 already available may be utilized. The folding-up ofthe pocket, as a matter of fact, can be avoided entirely by are-arrangement of the three sorting spaces, for example by abandoningthe left-hand pocket in the embodiment shown and instead providing thedrop shaft with a bottom flap to form a pulp wood pocket, which thenborders immediately the right-hand pocket. The wood classified as timberthen is deflected to the space now free to the left of the former dropshaft. Hereby the width of the pocket unit stationary can be kept withinthe maximum limits permitted.

Also other modifications can be imagined within the scope of theinvention, particularly with respect to the details defining thedifferent pockets and, respectively, the drop shaft. The lever-shapedpivot guides, for example, the supports and arms may be replaced, forexample, by grid constructions or integer plates. The hydraulic meansmay be replaced by equivalent power means and be varied with respect totheir points of application. It is also possible to imagine more thanthree sorting spaces with a resulting modification of the location andextension of the pivot guides.

Finally, the principles of the invention obviously can also be appliedto the sorting of objects other than cross cut wood.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for sorting elongated pieces of wood into assortmentsthereof comprising supply means for feeding individual pieces of wood ina horizontal position to a drop zone, an axle disposed on each side ofthe drop zone and below the top of the drop zone, each axle extendingsubstantially parallel to the axes of the pieces of wood, guide membersmounted on each axle for pivotal rotation about the axes thereof, saidguide members, when in a vertical position, forming the opposed sides ofthe drop zone and each guide member, when rotated to an oblique angle tothe vertical, projecting into the drop zone to deflect falling pieces ofwood to a collecting zone disposed laterally of the drop zone, wherebythe pieces of wood may be separated into three distinct assortments.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising verticalbarriers disposed laterally to the outside of and spaced from the dropzone to define the outer lateral limits of the collecting zones andbottom flap members pivotally mounted at the bottom of said verticalbarriers about axes parallel to said axles to close the bottom of theassociated collecting zone and, when pivoted, to open the zone torelease the pieces of wood disposed therein.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the axes of rotation of saidbottom flap members and the axes of said axles are all substantiallyparallel and in substantially the same horizontal plane, whereby whensaid guide members are pivoted to lie in substantially the samehorizontal plane of the axes said guide members will close the drop zoneand cooperate with said bottom flap members to increase the size of thecollecting zone to include the drop zone.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising means forraising and lowering the apparatus with respect to the ground.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising means forrotating at least one of said vertical barriers and said associatedbottom flap member upwardly and inwardly over the drop zone to aretracted position to reduce the overall width of the apparatustransporting same.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising hydraulicmeans for rotating said guide members about the axes of each axle.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for rotating saidat least one vertical barrier comprises a boom member mounted forrotation about the axis of the associated axle of at least one of saidguide members, said vertical barrier and associated bottom flap memberbeing mounted on the outer end of said boom member, rotatable hook meansfor limiting the rotation of said boom member between an outwardlyextending horizontal position and an upwardly extending verticalposition, and means for locking said boom member in its verticalposition when the vertical barrier and the bottom flap member are intheir retracted position.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said boom member extendsinwardly from its point of rotation and further comprising a stop memberfor engaging the inwardly extending portion of the boom to prevent saidboom from falling below its outwardly extending horizontal position. 1

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising a second stopmember mounted on said boom for engagement by said hook means when saidboom is in its vertical position, to maintain such vertical position.

1. Apparatus for sorting elongated pieces of wood into assortmentsthereof comprising supply means for feeding individual pieces of wood ina horizontal position to a drop zone, an axle disposed on each side ofthe drop zone and below the top of the drop zone, each axle extendingsubstantially parallel to the axes of the pieces of wood, guide membersmounted on each axle for pivotal rotation about the axes thereof, saidguide members, when in a vertical position, forming the opposed sides ofthe drop zone and each guide member, when rotated to an oblique angle tothe vertical, projecting into the drop zone to deflect falling pieces ofwood to a collecting zone disposed laterally of the drop zone, wherebythe pieces of wood may be separated into three distinct assortments. 2.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising vertical barriersdisposed laterally to the outside of and spaced from the drop zone todefine the outer lateral limits of the collecting zones and bottom flapmembers pivotally mounted at the bottom of said vertical barriers aboutaxes parallel to said axles to close the bottom of the associatedcollecting zone and, when pivoted, to open the zone to release thepieces of wood disposed therein.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2wherein the axes of rotation of said bottom flap members and the axes ofsaid axles are all substantially parallel and in substantially the samehorizontal plane, whereby when said guide members are pivoted to lie insubstantially the same horizontal plane of the axes said guide memberswill close the drop zone and cooperate with said bottom flap members toincrease the size of the collecting zone to include the drop zone. 4.Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising means for raisingand lowering the apparatus with respect to the ground.
 5. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 2 and further comprising means for rotating at leastone of said vertical barriers and said associated bottom flap memberupwardly and inwardly over the drop zone to a retracted position toreduce the overall width of the apparatus transporting same. 6.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising hydraulic meansfor rotating said guide members about the axes of each axle. 7.Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for rotating said atleast one vertical barrier comprises a boom member mounted for rotationabout the axis of the associated axle of at least one of said guidemembers, said vertical barrier and associated bottom flap member beingmounted on the outer end of said boom member, rotatable hook means forlimiting the rotation of said boom member between an outwardly extendinghorizontal position and an upwardly extending vertical position, andmeans for locking said boom member in its vertical position when thevertical barrier and the bottom flap member are in their retractedposition.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said boom memberextends inwardly from its point of rotation and further comprising astop member for engaging the inwardly extending portion of the boom toprevent said boom from falling below its outwardly extending horizontalposition.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising asecond stop member mounted on said boom for engagement by said hookmeans when said boom is in its vertical position, to maintain suchvertical position.